Teachers

I finally got up the nerve to send my scant pages to my thesis advisor.  I do look forward to her response, though, because she is a great teacher.  I've had good ones and I've had bad ones, but my emotional favorite was my 7th grade English teacher who held up a poem of mine and cried out, "She's done it again!" That had something to do with me becoming a writer, I think.

What teacher had the biggest influence on your decision to become a writer?

The Fickle Muse

I woke this morning to a flash of inspiration, and despite my foggy sleep brain and lack of coffee, I sat down and sketched out the ideas that came to me in that state between waking and sleeping.  It worked pretty well, as I got an hour's worth of ideas down on paper (electronically). 

What do you do to hold onto inspiration when it strikes?  Do you keep a notebook with you? Stop what you're doing and jot? Notebook and pen by the bed?  I'm starting to see the value in striking while the iron is hot, even when it is in the moments after waking.

Beginnings

I'm struggling with the new opening for my novel, and so I suppose I put this question out there looking for some suggestions.

What is your favorite opening to a novel?  Is there one that hooked you from the first sentence?

Journal

Do you keep a journal?  I have been doing so since I was twelve years old. Someone once said to me that the thought of death freaked him out because he would be completely gone.  I said I wouldn't be gone because it's all down on paper. There are many other reasons for keeping a journal.  If you do, why?  If you don't, why not? 

New Year

I have made far too many resolutions this year to be able to keep them all.  I know this going in.  They all boil down, however, to one resolution: to write brilliantly and consistently.  There.  Deep breath.  I've said it.  Eating healthier and avoiding bad substances will help my brain, which I need to write.  Exercise increases oxygen to the brain, which I need to write.  Following a schedule gives me time which I need to write. 

What are your resolutions, and do they focus mostly on writing?

To Schedule or Not to Schedule

What does your normal daily writing schedule look like?

I generally try to stick to a five-hour shift which starts and ends with a journal entry.  I don't necessarily take any breaks, just grab a bite to eat when I'm hungry, stand and stretch if I'm feeling overwhelmed, etc.  I also try to start with some meditation (qi gong) beforehand.  I alternate projects each hour, more or less.  If I'm on a tear I may go over, or if I'm in a slump I will switch over early.  Of course, some days, every hour is a slump, but it's important to realize that not every day will be like that.  The important thing is to try every day.  As I'm reading this over I realize that a five-hour stretch of uninterrupted time might seem like a luxury to people with kids and full-time jobs.  I've been there.  Don't worry.  Be patient.  These days will come for you too. 

Strengths and weaknesses

What are your strengths and weaknesses as a writer?

Me, I can pound out a first draft like nobody's business.  Making that first draft into a finished work is my weakness.